T&T Hosts Prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition At Parliament Rotunda
Trinidad and Tobago was chosen as one of only seven countries to host the London Natural History Museum’s 61st annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.
The works are currently being displayed at the Rotunda Gallery in Parliament.
The annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, curated by the Natural History Museum, saw more than 60,000 people globally submit their photos of wildlife for judging. It is hailed as the longest-running and most prestigious nature photography competition.
British High Commissioner Jon Dean paid tribute to the photographic practitioners and their work.
« These photographs are more than art. They are powerful stories of resilience, fragility, and hope. They remind us of what is at stake in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. For the UK and for Trinidad and Tobago, these issues are shared priorities. Both our nations are committed to protecting ecosystems, advancing climate action, and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. »
Local wildlife photographer Faraaz Abdool said as an observer of nature through his lens, he has experienced what he calls ‘eco-grief’ when he sees nature being removed and not replenished.
« Seeing people cutting down trees, for example. I’m not seeing people planting them, but we see them cutting down all the time. So it’s always something new that’s being done. It’s always some other project or, you know, devastation has become the norm and, you know, you see animals being squeezed out of their habitats and they didn’t ask for it. »
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Jagdeo Singh, said he hopes the exhibition will mark the start of future photographic journeys for young local fans who come to the Parliament Rotunda.
« Hopefully this exhibition will inspire a lot of young photographers, local photographers, especially, there is a lot, there are a lot of them who take photographs of birds and other wildlife and hopefully it will inspire a lot of them to enter into the competition. So hopefully next time we have a British wildlife photography display, we see a Trinidadian photographer. »
There are eighteen images from the initial 60,000 entrants on display in the Parliament Rotunda.
